The Obesity Blog

Surgery to help manage weight is growing in popularity because of the reliable, long-term results these techniques provide. The gastric sleeve procedure is a weight loss treatment that offers a low risk for complications and relatively easy recovery period. However, patients must fulfill certain requirements to be eligible for this type of surgery.

What Does the Gastric Sleeve Procedure Involve?

Gastric sleeve surgery is done through a small incision in the abdomen and uses very small instruments and a tiny camera to view the stomach and perform the procedure. More than half of the stomach is removed, leaving a vertical, sleeve-like tube of stomach tissue that is then stapled closed. The smaller volume means you will require much less food, facilitating weight loss. Side effects can include diarrhea, nausea or acid reflux problems. Your physician will provide instructions for self-care after surgery, which should be followed carefully.

Why Are Requirements Needed for the Gastric Sleeve Procedure?

Like any surgery, the gastric sleeve procedure, part of a category known as bariatric surgery, involves certain inherent risks. Being obesity can involve conditions that increase the risks of surgery. Therefore, physicians carefully screen their patients to ensure that they can undergo the procedure safely and with an expectation of a successful outcome.

What Are the Requirements?

A number of special criteria are used to determine whether gastric sleeve or other bariatric surgery procedures are indicated:

Body mass index (BMI) over 40, BMI may be 35 if certain health conditions are present

Individual is 80 to 100 pounds overweight

Individual has tried to lose weight unsuccessfully on multiple occasions

Between the age of 14 and 75

Individuals has realistic expectations and is motivated

Individual understands the risks of surgery and required actions after surgery

A physician at a weight loss clinic will review your medical history and determine whether you are a good candidate for the gastric sleeve procedure. If you have current medical problems, you may have to wait until your condition is stabilized to have the surgery. A laparoscopic doctor can inform you about the details of the surgery and procedures you will have to follow during the recovery period.

Gastric sleeve surgery can offer hope to individuals who have struggled with weight loss for years. Your physician can provide information on this procedure and how it can help you to improve your health and your life.

Gastric Band vs Gastric Sleeve Surgery

If you are overweight and looking for a weight loss solution, you are not alone. More than one-third of people in the United States are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – that is more than 78 million Americans! After trying other weight loss programs, you may be considering weight loss surgery but may be wondering which weight loss treatment is right for you.

Gastric sleeve surgery and gastric band are two of the safest, most effective and commonly performed weight loss surgeries today. Two popular choices are gastric banc and gastric sleeve surgery. These two approaches seem similar at first glance but each helps you lose weight in a different way. Knowing the details about each of these weight loss surgeries – and the differences between them – will help you determine which approach will help you lose weight safely and effectively.

Weight Loss Surgeon: Is it Time to Make the Call?

Why weight matters

It's important that we love ourselves as we are. After all, bodies come in all shapes and sizes, and very few of them meet the Hollywood ideal of flawless perfection. Whether we're tall, short, slender or beefy, we should celebrate who we are.

But, while self acceptance is an important aspect of our emotional health, our physical health matters, too. If you're concerned with the negative impact being overweight may have on your overall health, and have tried without success to lose weight on your own, it might be time to consider a consultation with a weight loss surgeon.

Risks to be Aware of with Bariatric Surgery

If you have been struggling to lose weight and cannot do so on your own, you may benefit from bariatric surgery. However, bariatric surgery carries certain risks that you should understand before you agree to undergo the procedure. Below is a discussion of some of the risks you may face.

Gastric Bypass vs Gastric Sleeve Surgery

About 180,000 bariatric surgeries were performed in 2013, according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), representing a significant increase from 158,000 just two years earlier. Of the surgeries performed in 2013, about 42 percent were gastric sleeve procedures (also called sleeve gastrectomy), while just over 34 percent of patients underwent gastric bypass surgery (also referred to as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery), making them the two most popular laparoscopic techniques for weight-loss surgery in the U.S.

Gastric Sleeve Surgery Requirements

Patients who are severely obese now have more surgical alternative to lose weight than at any time in the past. After discussing the various options with a bariatric surgeon, or laparoscopic doctor, they must choose the type of surgery they prefer. Among those who choose long island gastric sleeve surgery, also known as a gastrectomy, many questions arise about requirements before and after the procedure.

Gastric Band Surgery Requirements

category, according to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. For some people, attempts to diet and exercise just do not help them keep the weight off. Gastric band surgery is a medical procedure that can help patients achieve a healthy weight. However, not everyone is qualified for gastric band surgery. Your weight loss clinic will help you weigh the risks and benefits of surgery to make an informed choice.

Gastric Bypass Surgery Requirements

Gastric bypass surgery has become a popular weight loss treatment for individuals struggling with obesity. The procedure requires the surgeon to make a small pouch out of part of the stomach and connect it to a lower part of the intestines to reduce the amount of food that is absorbed. It can be a highly effective method for weight loss. A laparoscopic doctor can do this procedure with a small incision and minimal scarring. However, certain requirements are followed to ensure that patients are both physically and psychologically ready to benefit from gastric bypass surgery.

Gastric bypass procedures and other forms of bariatric surgery have proven to be safe and effective weight loss methods for individuals who suffer from severe cases of obesity. Patients who undergo these surgeries, however, must take care to practice appropriate eating strategies and ensure that they get the proper nutrition. The University of California San Francisco recommends adhering to the following nutritional guidelines after bariatric surgery to limit overall calorie intake, prevent dietary deficiencies, and preserve muscle tissue.

There is no perfect, one-size-fits-all way to lose weight and maintain a healthy body. To succeed, you must find the method that fits you and commit to your goal long term—and you’ll also benefit from expert medical advice, treatment and care. By teaming up with the medical experts at your local weight loss clinic, you’ll have access to many options to lose weight and gain better health. When you consult an expert laparoscopic doctor, skilled in minimally invasive bariatric surgery, you have an excellent opportunity for lasting weight loss, even if you haven’t been successful by other means.

According to the Mayo Clinic, gastric bypass surgery is one of the most common types of weight loss surgeries in the United States because it poses fewer complications than other surgeries. A person who chooses gastric bypass surgery commits to a path that brings greater health and well-being to their life. Once a patient determines this is the best personal path and chooses an experienced laparoscopic doctor, he or she needs to ready themselves for the surgery and the subsequent lifestyle change.